CeleBEARating 25 Years of Heart and Hugs!

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) officially kicked off a year-long silver celebration to commemorate its landmark 25^th anniversary that promises to be filled with heart and hugs! Over the past quarter century, Build-A-Bear has been credited with reinventing brick-and-mortar retail when it opened its first experiential retail store in 1997. Since then, the brand has celebrated heart, hugs, creativity, laughter, fun and friendship through the making of more than 200 million furry friends around the world! 

Originally conceived as a place for children to create their own special teddy bear with a step-by-step process including its now iconic Heart Ceremony, Build-A-Bear has become a multi-generational, multi-dimensional brand appealing to diverse consumer demographics. Since the first classic teddy bear was stuffed in a mall in St. Louis, Build-A-Bear has been stitched into the fabric of the lives of many. By being a part of bedtime stories and goodnight hugs, celebrating an untold number of birthdays and birthday parties, and commemorating countless graduations, new babies, weddings, and vacations, Build-A-Bear has been there for a multitude of memorable moments. With over two decades of furry friend hugs and being a part of so many personal milestones, it is understandable that Build-A-Bear has achieved pop culture status and is a highly desired brand for collectors, particularly with its collaborations with licensed products which now cover over 75 leading film, television, sports, gaming, art and other popular properties. With nearly 500 global retail locations, multiple online experiences, and a mission to "add a little more heart to life," the company is inviting everyone to join an action-packed celebration that will last throughout the year.

ANNIVERSARY EVENT PROMISES TO UP THE FUN FACTOR AROUND THE GLOBE
25 Years of Furry Friends
For the first time in its history, Build-A-Bear is opening its vault of proprietary furry friends and will be launching limited edition collectibles each month throughout the year. Inspired by some of the most popular furry friends from its first 25 years, the Vault Collection will kick off with the release of "Hearts Fur You Puppy", a perfect choice for Valentine's Day.

Anniversary Partners: Celebratory Exclusive Product from Leading Licensed Properties
Collaborations with popular licensed partners will allow guests to expand their personal collections by adding unique and highly collectible furry friends. The collaborations will include exclusive collections with new licensed properties and returns of some of the most popular properties in Build-A-Bear's history with an anniversary limited edition range. Exciting announcements are sure to come throughout 2022!

Limited Edition Silver Collection Products
An exclusive line of furry friends, celebratory clothing and other products will be included in a super sparkly product line that features silver detailing that will be introduced throughout the year. These exclusive releases are sure to add just a little bit of extra shine to life!

It's time to "turn up the fun" on all the big and small celebrations!
The company's iconic in-store experience is known for being hands on, emotional and fun for all ages, and Build-A-Bear is taking it to the next level! Starting with a silver takeover on January 25^th that will bring silver front and center throughout the entire Workshop, stores will offer new activities, promotions and surprises not to be missed. These festivities will continue on the 25^th of every month leading up to the anniversary! Its popular mascot, Bearemy, will be making special appearances and commemorative elements have been added with newly designed birth certificates, Cub Condos and silver hearts. Each Workshop will also feature fun in-store photo backdrops and props!

Celebrating 25 Years of Memories
As Build-A-Bear celebrates 25 years of fun and laughter, Guests are invited to share their favorite and furriest memories – or make new ones! Guests can join the celebration and "Show Your Stuff" by uploading pictures to the gallery at buildabear.com or post to social media using #buildabear. With over 200 million furry friends made since the company's inception, there are sure to be many memories to share, whether it's a photo of a very first Build-A-Bear furry friend, furry friends that commemorate special moments, or the making of an all-new furry friend. The anniversary is the perfect opportunity to remember past hugs & celebrate future hugs by creating an epic time capsule of memories and personal stories.

Exclusive Member Events and Promotions
With over 9 million active members, Build-A-Bear's Bonus Club will have member-exclusive store and online offers throughout the year. Bonus Club members will be among the first to receive news of the latest products, events and those still to come surprises. Sign up online to start receiving the latest updates.

Updated Associate Development and Training Programs
Build-A-Bear recognizes the important role that its talented associates have in creating experiences and innovating its business, and it's leveraging its 25^th anniversary to expand programs intended to help individuals grow personally and professionally while boosting morale. These programs will provide self-driven, engaging, energizing, and educational global opportunities and resources. Elements of its "Hearts, Hugs, and Minds" program will be introduced throughout the year.

A Night Not to Be Missed
Build-A-Bear Foundation is also getting in on the fun and will be hosting its first-ever gala on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at St. Louis Union Station to honor company founder, Maxine Clark, and to raise funds for the Foundation's renewed literacy platform. The Foundation is partnering with First Book, the largest online community of educators serving kids living in poverty, to support their mission to build a path out of poverty through educational equity. Their goal is to donate at least 125,000 books through First Book in 2022! Follow the work of Build-A-Bear Foundation on Instagram @buildabearfoundation.

Sharon Price John, Build-A-Bear Workshop President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are thrilled to be entering this milestone year with the positive momentum from 2021, the most profitable year in our history. Although we are a much different company than when we started in 1997, one thing that is the same is our commitment to add a little more heart to life. Even as the world has changed during the last 25 years, Build-A-Bear has remained a trusted and relevant brand with retail-tainment, personalization and "DIY" being more on-trend now than when we first opened our doors. The brand has grown over the years to appeal to kids and adults alike, which has helped catapult it into pop culture status. It has been our honor and privilege to be a part of millions of special memories as our guests have celebrated life's big and small moments at Build-A-Bear Workshop through the years - from birthday parties and prom invitations to wedding proposals and "just because" moments! We hope all our past guests, as well as new guests visiting us for the first time, will join us for the fun of our silver celebration!"

The details revealed today are just a first glimpse at the fun that will be packed into the year. Stay tuned for big announcements throughout the year on exciting partnerships, more releases from the Vault, commemorative plush from premium licensed partners, and MORE!  Visit the 25^th Celebration page to learn more or to sign up for updates throughout the year!

ABOUT BUILD-A-BEAR®
Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to "add a little more heart to life" and appealing to a wide array of consumer groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own "furry friends" to celebrate and commemorate life moments. Nearly 500 interactive brick-and-mortar retail locations operated through a variety of formats provide guests of all ages a hands-on entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and emotional brand connection. The company also offers an engaging e-commerce/digital purchasing experience called the "Bear-Builder" at www.buildabear.com. In addition, extending its brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is dedicated to creating engaging content for kids and adults that fulfills the company's mission, while the company also offers products at wholesale and in non-plush consumer categories via licensing agreements with leading manufacturers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $255.3 million in fiscal 2020. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop